Testing-machine.



No. 792.037. PATENTED .TUNE 13, 1905. J. E. HITGH.

TESTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION TILED JUNBS. 1903.

2 SEEETS-SHEIET 1.

inves/woz No. 792,037. PATENTED .TUNE 13, 1905.

J. E. BITCH. E

TESTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 8. 1903.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED STATES Patented June 13, 1905.

PATENT OEEieE.

JOHN E. HITOH, OF SNYDERVILLE, OHIO, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO GEORGE T. THORP, OF SNYDERVILLE, OHIO.

TESTING-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N o. 792,037, dated June 13, 1905. Application filed June 8,1903. Serial No. 160,501.

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be itknown thatI, J oHN E. HITCH, a citizen of the United States, residing' at Snyder-ville, in the county of Olark and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Testing-Machines, of which the following is a specilication, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to testing-machines, and more particularly to that class known as strike-testers, and has for its object to provide a machine which will register not only the force of the blows, but also the number of blows delivered in a given period of time.

To these ends the invention consists in certain novel features which T will now proceed to describe and will then particularly point out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of a machine embodying my invention in one form. Fig. 2 is a detail plan view of a portion of the same on an enlarged scale. Fig. 3 is a detail sectional view taken on the line w fc of Fig. 2 and looking in the direction of the arrows, but with the parts in another position. Fig. 4 is a detail view of the dial or indicator which registers the force of the blows. Fig. 5 is a detail view of the dial or indicator which registers the number of blows; and Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 1, illustrating a modification.

The apparatus is mainly inclosed in and supported by a casing 1, having therein a bearing 2, in which is supported and slides a bar 3, which constitutes the main actuating part of the device. This bar extends out through the front of the casing and is provided at its forward end with the usual cushioned strike head or pad 4. A coiled spring 5, interposed between the front of the casing and the rear face of the head 4, provides the resistance to be overcome by the blows delivered on the head. This spring encircles the projecting outer part of the bar 3 and is itself inclosed by a fixed sleeve 6, extending outward from the casing 1, and a movable sleeve 7 extending' rearward from the back of the head 4 and telescoping into the sleeve 6. The bar 3 may be provided with any suitable stop to limit its outward motion-as, for instance, a pin Svadapted to contact with the inner end of the bar-sleeve 2. It will be noticed, however, that the said pin is not in contact with the end of the sleeve when the spring 5 is distended, so that the bar 3 is capable of a limited outward motion under the circumstances and for the purpose hereinafter set forth.

The bar 3 is adapted to operate any approved form of device for indicating the maximum forceof the blows struck upon the head 4. In the present instance the construction whereby this is effected comprises a rack 9, formed in the upper edge of the bar near the rear end thereof, said rack meshing with a gear 10 in such a way that the extent of rotary motion of the gear will correspond to the extent of the inward motion of the bar. When the parts are in their normal position, the rearmost tooth of the rack is just ready to engage the space between two teeth of the gear 10, as shown in Fig. 1. At the same time a pin 12, carried by the gear 10, lies in contact with a pin 11, carried by a pinion 13, which meshes with a gear 14, mounted on a shaft 15, which is provided at its outer end with an indicator or pointer 16, which shows on a scale 17 the force of the blow. A pawl 18 prevents any return motion of the gear 14, except when said pawl is disengaged therefrom, and a spring 19, secured at one end to the casing and at the other end to the shaft 15, around which it is wound, serves to return the parts to normal or Zero position when the pawl 18 is disengaged.

The pin 12 will engage the pin 11 when the gear 10 is rotated in one direction by the receding' movement of the bar 3 when struck and will turn the pinion 13 forward in the proper direction to advance the indicator 16. The return movement of the bar under the influence of the spring 5 will turn the gear 10 in the opposite direction without affecting the pinion 13 and the indicatorl controlled thereby, these parts being held into the position in which they are moved by means of the pawl 18. Blows of less strength than the first blow will not affect the indicator, since the pin 12,

carried by the wheel 10, will not advance far enough to engage the pin 11, carried'by the pinion 13. Any blow of greater force than the original blow will of course bring the pin 12 up to the pin 11 and advance the pinion 13 and indicator 16 to a corresponding eX- tent.

The bar 3 is normally locked by means of a bolt 2O sliding vertically between guides 21 and normally engaging a notch or recess 22 in the upper edge of the bar 3. connected by a link 23 with the free end of a lever 24, .whichcontrols both the locking-bolt 26 and the timing mechanism hereinafter described. This timing mechanism is mounted in a frame 25, to which the lever 24 is pivoted at 26, and said timing mechanism consists of a clock-train 27, driven in the usual manner by la spring or weight and comprising a stopwheel 28, having in its periphery notches 29. The lever 24 has a tooth 3() to fit said notches 29 when the timing mechanism is locked, said tooth riding on the periphery of the wheel 28 when not engaged with one of said notches. The locking-lever 24 is controlled by a vertically-.moving slide-bar'31, actuated by a handlever32, the handle of which is accessible at the exterior of the casing 1. The upper end of this slide-bar is provided with a pin 32, which extendsthrough a slot 33 in the frame 25 and under the lever 24, so that an upward movement of the slide-bar 31 will raise the lever 24, thus 'lifting the tooth 30 out of the notch 29 with which it can be engaged and at the same time lifting the locking-bolt 20 out ofthe notch 22 in the bar 3. The movement of the slide-bar 31 maybe limited in any suitablemanner-eas, for instance, by a pin 34, iixed on the frame 25 and working ina cutaway portion of the slide-bar, the termi-nal shoulders of which engage the pin to limit the motion of the slide-bar. The wheel 28 also ser-ves 'as a means for operating a signal or alarm to indieatethe beginning and end fof the period during which the machine is unlocked and operative. To this end I prefer to employ a bell 36, the striker 37 of which is pivoted to the frame 25 at 38, one of its ends being arranged vto be engaged by a pin 39 on the wheel 28 when said wheel starts to move, so as to ring the bell at the beginning of such movement. The striker is also engaged by a pin 40 on said wheel 28 at the close of the period of rotation of the wheel 28, so as to ring the bell iustbefore the wheel ceases to rotate and the bar 3 becomes locked.

In order to set the parts before the beginning of operations, the slide-bar 31 is provided .with a projection 41`v preferably lin the form of a roller, which is adapted to engage an inclined groove 42 in the side ofthe bar 3. This groove may be formed, as shown, by blocks 43, secured to the side of the bar. The normal position of the roller 41 is below and clear of the groove, as shown in Fig. 3,

This bolt is veaosr and its upper limit of motion is the top of the groove, as shownin Fig. 2. The initial downward movement of the lever 32 in starting the machine will thus cause an upward movement of the slide-bar 3l, which will first lift the locking-lever 24 and the locking-bolt 20, so as vto free the-stop-wheel 28-andthe bar 3, and said bar 3 willthen lbe given a slight forward movement by the travel of the projection 41 to the top of the groove 42. The return or downward movement of the lever 32 will move the bar 3 back to its normal position; but the stop-wheel 28 will have turned sufliciently far to cause the tooth 3() of the lever 24 to come into contact with the periphery of the stop-wheel, and thus prevent the locking-bolt 2O from engaging the bar 3. The bar 3 will thus be free to move until the next notch 29 has come-under the vtooth 30, whereupon said 'tooth will enter said notch and the lever24 will fall, permitting the bolt 2() to enter the locking-notch in the `bar 3 when said notch comes into alinement-with said bolt. The link .23 permits sutlicientplay between the lever 24 and Vbolt 20fto allow the lever to fall when the notch 22 is not in alinement with the bolt 20.

During the period throughout Awhich the bar 3 is free vto move said bar lmay be moved longitudinally as frequently as possible by blows delivered on the strike-pad at the front end thereof. The number of these blows thus delivered is registered inthe .following manner: The bar 3 is provided on its -upper edge with a cam-incline 44, in the path of which lies a reciprocating block or slide 45, mounted in ways 46, so 'as to move vertically therein. To this slide is pivoted a pau/147, which is adapted to yengage a ratchet-wheel 48, mounted on a shaft 49. The pawl isheld in engagement with the ratchet-wheel by a spring 50, whichalsoserves to lhold the slide 45 down in the path of the cam-incline 44. The shaft 49 is yprevented fromturning baci;- ward by a ldetent-pawl '50, engaging the ratchet-wheel 48 and provided .with a pin 51, which lies in the path of an extension 52 of the pawl 47. The shaft 49 is provided with a pinion 53, `which meshes 'with a gear '54 on a shaft 55, carrying at its outer end an Aindicator or pointer 56, which cooperates with a scale 57 on :a dial having numeralslthereon to indicate the number of blows. Thus each blow will, through :the mechanism described, advance the indicator 56 one point on the dial 57, and this Awill continueas long as the-bar 3 is unlocked.

The forward motion of lthe -bar 3, herei-nbefore referred to, serves to lreset the indicator to rZero in the following'manner. Said bar is provided with an arm A58, which in moving forward comes into contact :with the pawl 18 and disengages it from the wheel 14, thereby permitting the spring 9 to return the forceindicator and its associated parts to zero.

IIO

the same time the lpawl 18 comes into contact with the extension 52 of the pawl 47 and disengages said pawl from the ratchet-wheel 48. The movement of this pawl 47 is sufcient to cause its extension 52 to engage the pin 51 on the detent-pawl EL and disengage said detentpawl alsofrom the ratchet-wheel48. The shaft 55 has wound around it a spring 59, connected to it at one end and to a fixed point at the other end and serving to return the indicator on said shaft and the parts associated therewith to zero or normal position. movement of the bar 3 restores the pawls to the operative position shown in Fig. 1 ready to coperate with the indicators to which they relate.

In order to insure a proper relative position of the rack 9 and gear 10 when these parts are in their normal position of rest, so that the rack will properly engage the teeth of the gear at the beginning of its movement, I provide the rear end of the bar 3 with ya ratchetbar 60, preferably mounted in a slot in the bar 3 and pivoted thereto at its forward end, as indicated at 61, its free'rear end being yieldingly supported by a spring 62. Upon the return motion of the bar 3 after a blow has been delivered the ratchet-teeth of the ratchetbar will engage the teeth of the gear 10 and insure their being moved to such a position as will cause the rack 9 to properly engage them at the next rearward movement of the bar 3, when the next blow is struck. The ratchet-bar 60 being yieldingly supported, it will pass under the gear 10 during the forward and back movements of the bar 3, which occur as a preliminary for resetting' the machine w'hen the lever 32 is operated.

The machine as thus constructed may be check or coin control, so as to remain in inoperative or locked position until a' specific coin or check is inserted in the machine. To this end the bar 31, or an extension 63 thereof, is provided with a notch or slot 64, which is normally engaged by a tooth or projection 65 on one end of a lever 66, pivoted between its ends at 67. rIhe other end of said lever 66 is formed into a cup or receptacle 68, and the parts are so constructed and balanced that when the receptacle 68 is empty the projection 65 engages the notch 64 and locks the slide-bar 31, so as to prevent its operation by the hand-lever 32. at a point above the normal position of the receptacle 68 with a slot 69, and when a coin or check of the proper dimensions and weight is inserted through the slot 69 it will fall into the receptacle 68 and will tilt the lever 66 in such a way as to withdraw the projection 65 from the notch 64, and thus free the slide-bar 31. The slide-bar may then be operated to set the registering mechanism to zero and unlock the time-train, thereby putting the machine in operative condition, in which condition it will remain until the time-train again The return4 The casing 1 is providedv locks it. In the meanwhile the tilting of the lever 66 discharges the coin from the receptacle 68, from which it falls into'any suitable receiving means, and the lever 66 will againengage the notch 64 by means of its projection 65, and thus lock the slide-bar 31 against movement until lanother coin has been inserted.

f The apparatus thus constructed operates in the following manner: All parts thereof are normally locked; but upon inserting a proper coin or check through the slot 69 the slidebar 31 is released andthe hand-lever 32 may be lowered and raised. This reciprocates the slide-bar 31, and the upward motion of said bar first unlocks the main bar 3 and simultaneously unlocks the timing mechanism, which latter in its turn holds the main bar unlocked during a predetermined period of time, at' the same time ringingv the bell to give an audible signal announcing the beginning of that period. As soon as the main bar is unlocked it moves forward and disengages the pawlsof the two registering devices, which may be respectively termed the force-register and the frequency-register. The springs of these registers thereupon return them to zero, and the return movement of the bar 3 returns the pawls to operative position after this has been done. For a period of time the bar 3 is free to move, and the registering devices connected therewith will register, respectively, the maxium force of the blows delivered on the pad or head 4 and the number of blows delivered during' said period of time. At the end of said period of time the bell is again rung to'indic'ate the conclusion of said period, the lever24 falls and locks the time-train, and the bolt 2O locks the bar. ing previously locked the slide-bar 31, the entire machine is again locked and may not be again operated until another coin has been inserted. .The registers will, however, remain set in their respective positions, indicating the results obtained, until the machine is started on another cycle of operations.

It will be understood, of course, that the coin-controlling devices may be omitted, if desired. Such a construction is shown in Fig. 6. It will also be understood that various modifications in the details of construction and arrangement of the parts may bev made without departing from the principle of my invention, and I therefore do not wish to be understood as limiting myself strictly to the precise details hereinbefore described and shown in the accompanying drawings.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a strike-tester, the combination, with striking mechanism, of means for registering the force of the blows, means for registering the number of blows struck, and a timetrain for controlling the operative period of The lever 66 hav- IOO the striking mechanism, substantially as described.

2. In a strike-tester, the combination, with a yielding striking-bar provided with a resistance, of means for registering the maximum force of the blows delivered on said bar, means i'or registering' the number of blows struck on said bar, a locking mechanism for lioldingsaid bar normally locked, a time-train, and means for simultaneously releasing the locking mechanism and starting the time-train, said time-train operating the locking mechanism to lock the strike-bar after a predetermined period of time, substantially as described.

3. In a strike-tester, a yielding strikingbar provided with a resistance and adapted to yield rearwardly when struck, a force-registering mechanism and a frequency-registering mechanism operated by said striking-bar, springs for resetting said registering mechanisms to zero, detcnts for holding said registering mechanisms against the action of said springs, a locking mechanism and a time-train controlling the same, and a slide-bar movable transversely of the striking-bar and operating to release the lockingniechanism and start the time-train, said slide-bar also imparting to the striking-bar a reciprocating movement in the reverse direction to its normal movement when struck, and said striking-bar being provided with means fordisengaging the detente of the registering mechanisms to permit their springs to return said registering mechanisms to zero, substantially as described.

4. In a strike-tester, the combination, with a rearwardlyyielding strike-bar provided with a resistance, a force-register and a frequency-register operated thereby, and a locking mechanism and time-train controlling the same, of means for simultaneously releasing the locking mechanism, starting the timetrain, and resetting the registers to Zero, substantially as described.

5. In a strike-tester, a yielding strikingbar provided with a resistance and adapted to yield' rearwardly when struck, a registering mechanism operated by said striking-bar, a spring for resetting said registering mechanism, a detent for holding said registering mechanism against the action or' said spring, and a slide-bar movable transversely of the striking-bar to impart to it a reciprocating movement in the reverse direction to its nor mal movement when struck, said striking-bar being provided with means for disengaging the detent of the registering' mechanism to permit its spring to return said registering mechanism to Zero, substantially as described.

6. In a strike-tester, a yielding strikingbar provided with a resistance and adapted to yield rearwardly when struck, a registering mechanism operated by said striking-bar, a spring for resetting said registering mechanism to zero, a detent for holding said registering mechanism against the action of said spring, a locking mechanism and a time-train controlling the same, and a slide-bar movable transversely of the striking-bar and operating to release the locking mechanism and start the time-train, said slide-bar also imparting tothe striking-bar a reciprocating movement in the reverse direction to itsl normal movement when strueland said striking-bar being provided With means for disengaging the detent of the registering mechanism to permit its spring to return said registering mechanism to Zero, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN E. HITCH.

Witnesses:

EDWARD BAKER, ANNIE MILLER. 

